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Sunday, 8 May 2011

Two For The Price Of One...

Today is Mother's Day...again! With the UK already celebrating Mothering Sunday in March, it always leaves me wondering whether I should be wishing Mum a Happy Mother's Day then (as I am in the UK) or today - but I guess that two for the price of one is a pretty good deal and anyway, who am I to begrudge sending a little more Mother's Day love out into the ether?

In any case, those of you who read Gidday From The UK on a regular basis may remember that I have already posted in honour of Mother's Day Part One so I figured it was time to roast honour Mum in a different way - this time by regaling you all with the trials and tribulations of my childhood dressed as 'Two For The Price Of One'. The story goes like this:

My Mum sewed. A lot. Before I came along, she made big stuffed toys like this gi-normous panda.

Yes that's me with the panda!

She also made amazing 'pyjama dogs' that had a zip on the underside that you could pop your 'jarmies' in 'til next time. Mine was orange. No, I do not have a picture.

Deciding that toys were not enough, she then moved on to outfits. It started innocently enough with individual ensembles...

Actually I think our Oma might have knitted these vests - Mum got everyone in on the act!

And still matching hairdos!

...as not only could Mum get a better deal on the material, it meant that Lil Chicky could continue to wear my hand-me-downs for years to come. (Boy, she REALLY loved that!)

Anyway, this continued on until we rebelled (it was a little uncool once we got to school and had friends who came over to play!), only to slide right back into it in our teens...

I'm (17) on your left, Lil Chicky (13) is on your right

...although we were being Mum's bridesmaids and she didn't make the dresses herself and they are different colours - but enough said. A picture paints a thousand words.

So a it's couple of decades (and a bit) later and I figure Lil Chicky and I have managed to weather the storm and emerge relatively unscathed. ('Oh thank goodness', I hear you whisper. No it's ok - don't apologise. I understand.) But little did I realise that my departure from Oz had left such a gap...